Monday, February 11, 2008

Texans for Public Justice today filed a complaint with Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle seeking an investigation into political contributions that Texas Jobs & Opportunity Build a Secure Future (Texas Jobs PAC) made last month to three Democratic House candidates who have supported Republican Speaker Tom Craddick. TPJ believes that Speaker Tom Craddick and the Texas Jobs PAC violated a state law that prohibits a speaker candidate to aid his or her candidacy by financing the campaigns of fellow House candidates.

Austin: Texans for Public Justice today filed a complaint with Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle seeking an investigation into political contributions that Texas Jobs & Opportunity Build a Secure Future (Texas Jobs PAC) made last month to three Democratic House candidates who have supported Republican Speaker Tom Craddick.

TPJ believes that Speaker Tom Craddick and the Texas Jobs PAC violated a state law that prohibits a speaker candidate to aid his or her candidacy by financing the campaigns of fellow House candidates.

Texas Jobs PAC had been dormant for approximately 18 months when it received a $250,000 contribution from the Craddick campaign on January 10, 2008. The next day, Texas Jobs PAC cut three checks of $50,000 apiece to the campaigns of Democratic House incumbents Kevin Bailey, Kino Flores and Aaron Pena. Significantly, the $250,000 from Craddick's campaign was the only money that Texas Jobs had when it made the contributions to Bailey, Flores and Pena.

"The transactions between Craddick, the Texas Jobs PAC and the three house candidates appear to be coordinated and illegal," said Texans for Public Justice Director Craig McDonald. "Texas law is clear: You can't buy the speaker's gavel by bankrolling the campaigns of House candidates. Nor can you make a political contribution under someone else's name. It's hard to argue that the Texas Jobs PAC didn't launder Craddick's money. By it's own accounting it didn't have another cent to it's name."